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Ecology and Evolution Unit 1 & 2 > Unit 2: Community Ecology > Flashcards

Unit 2: Community Ecology Flashcards

1
Q

What is Community?

A

populations of different species (heterospecific) within an area and the interactions among them

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2
Q

What is a Direct interaction?

A

species interact directly, such as mutualisms, predatation, etc.

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3
Q

What is Indirect interaction?

A

species interact through one or more intermediary species

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4
Q

How are types of interactions categorized?

A

by their effects on fitness

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5
Q

What is Amensalism’s effect on fitness?

A

neutral-negative (e.g. elephant “stomps” on bug)

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6
Q

What is Commensalism’s effect on fitness?

A

positive-neutral (e.g. birds eats the insects cows kick up by accident)

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7
Q

What is Intraspecific?

A

same species (e.g. population ecology)

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8
Q

Is population ecology density-dependent or density-independent in terms of logistic growth?

A

density-dependent

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9
Q

What is Interspecific?

A

different species; relating to how the species rely on the same resources (e.g. community ecology)

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10
Q

There is a general ______ correlation between niche overlap and competition intensity

A

positive (*on a graph, it is a positive slope)

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11
Q

What is Niche?

A

range of resources used and conditions tolerated

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12
Q

What is Fundamental Niche?

A

theoretical range of environment conditions that a species can tolerate (max & min)

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13
Q

What is Realized Niche?

A

portion of the fundamental niche that is actually occupied/the resources actually used in nature (given limiting factors)

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14
Q

Can the Realized Niche be bigger than the Fundamental Niche?

A

No, the realized niche is small because it’s in competition with other species in nature

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15
Q

What happens when two species in a community have overlapping niches?

A

This will only happen if species are equal.
1. Competitive Exclusion Principle
2. Niche Differentiation
3. Resource Partitioning

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16
Q

What is Competitive Exclusion Principle?

A

no 2 species within a habitat can coexist when they compete for the same resources at the same place and time
- one species outcompetes the other (asymmetric competition)
- local extinction of weaker competitor

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17
Q

In competition exclusion, the fitness is ____ where the two species’s fundamental niche overlap

A

low, only the superior species can get the niche overlapping in fundamental niche because natural selection selects against individuals that compete

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18
Q

What is Resources Partitioning?

A

change in resource use caused by competition over generations

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19
Q

What is Niche Differentiation?

A

when 2 species separate out of the niche space in which they overlap

20
Q

What is Character Displacement?

A

evolutionary changes in traits that make niche differentiation possible (e.g. change in body size)

21
Q

When does character displacement occur?

A

happens when species are sympatric with a competitor, therefore the species will have different body types because they’re in competition

22
Q

What is Sympatric?

A

overlapping in an area

23
Q

What is Allopatric?

A

in separate areas (geographically)

24
Q

When species are allopatric, this means they are not in ________, and the species will have very similar body sizes.

A

competition

25
Q

What is Mimicry?

A

when one species resembles another

26
Q

What is Bayesian Mimicry?

A

when a harmless/patable species mimics a dangerous/unpalatable species

27
Q

Who is the Bayesian Mimicry names after?

A

Henry Walter Bates (Wallace’s companion in Brazil)

28
Q

What is Müllerian Mimicry?

A

2 or more harmful species mimic each other

29
Q

Who discovered müllerian mimicry?

A

Fritz Müller

30
Q

What is Emsleyan (Mertensian) Mimicry?

A

type of mimicry where a harmful (deadly) species resembles a less harmful one

31
Q

How do predators protect the Emsleyan/Mertensian Mimicry?

A

predators develop learned avoidance of the less harmful model, in order to protect the deadly mimic

32
Q

What is Aggressive Mimicry?

A

when a predator mimics a desirable species (e.g. venus fly trap-pretty flower)

33
Q

What is Herbivory’s effect on fitness?

A

positive-negative

34
Q

What is Predation’s effect on fitness?

A

positive-negative

35
Q

What are the types of Prey adaptations to raise fitness?

A
  1. camouflage
  2. escape behavior (“startle behavior”)
  3. toxins (aposematic coloration)
  4. schooling/flocking (patterning)
  5. mechanical defense (shells, thorns, scales)
36
Q

What is Aposematic Coloration?

A

warning coloration used as a defensive mechanism against predation, which memorable for predators

37
Q

What are the types of Predator adaptations?

A
  1. strength
  2. stalking
  3. heightened senses
  4. speed
  5. chemicals
  6. surprise
  7. cooperation
38
Q

What is Co-Evolution?

A

when 2 interacting species reciprocally influences each others adaptation overtime, which is an Co-Evolutionary Arms Race for prey

39
Q

What is Parasitism’s effect on fitness?

A

positive-negative

40
Q

Can parasites controls the host?

A

yes, they control the host to benefit themselves

41
Q

What is Obligate Brood Parasites?

A

group of birds that reproduce only by laying eggs in the nest of other species

42
Q

What is Mutualism’s effect on fitness?

A

positive-positive

43
Q

When does mutualism occur?

A

occurs over long periods of time in which the species grow dependent on each other

44
Q

What is Mutualism?

A

symbiotic relationship where both species benefit

45
Q

What are the 3 categories of mutualism?

A
  1. resource-resource
  2. resource-service
  3. service-service
46
Q

Who is Judith Bronstein?

A

explains mutualism as “reciprocally exploitative interactions” and provides net benefits to both partner species

47
Q

What is Nectar Robbing?

A

feeding on nectar without pollination

Ecology and Evolution Unit 1 & 2 (12 decks)

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